Sherman Hemsley, star of “The Jeffersons” and “Amen,” dead at 74

Though Sherman Hemsley did not make music, he had a major impact on the hip hop community via his role of ‘George Jefferson’ on the hit sitcom, “The Jeffersons.” Decades after its final air date, the show still runs in syndication on a daily basis. Several generations have been entertained by Hemsley over these number of years.

Sherman Hemsley is best-known for his ‘George Jefferson’ role, which was that of a self-made millionaire who owned a chain of dry cleaning stores. The title character of the series, he built his way from the streets of Harlem to wealth. On the show, he portrayed a stubborn, proud, man who was always hoping to gain more.

It is this attitude which has inspired many hip hop artists, though “The Jeffersons” was purely entertainment. In later years, Sherman Hemsley went on to star in “Amen,” which featured an episode with MC Hammer, along with other stars. Earlier today, news broke of Hemsley dying at the age of 74 in his El Paso, Texas home.

Previously, his “Jeffersons” co-star, Isabel Sanford, died in 2004 at the age of 86.